Five more brgys in Cebu City to be declared drug-cleared

CEBU, Philippines — Five more barangays in Cebu City are expected to be declared drug-cleared areas next month, after a thorough process conducted by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing.

Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia yesterday sat down with the committee to deliberate the areas that will be declared drug-free.

Garcia, however, admitted that declaring a barangay in a highly-urbanized city like Cebu City as drug cleared is quite a challenge considering its wide potential for illegal drug trade.

At present, Garcia said there are 39 barangays that have already been declared drug-cleared.

Next month, five more barangays will be officially added to the list. These barangays are Bonbon, Bulacao, Pahina San Nicolas, Poblacion Pardo, and T. Padilla.

This makes a total of 45 drug-cleared barangays, or equivalent to more than half of the 80 barangays in Cebu City.

“So that is more than half. So I am very grateful and thankful nga nahitabo ni sa atong syudad sa Sugbo. It just shows nga naningkamot pud atong law enforcement agencies, most especially atong barangays,” said Garcia.

Garcia described this development as a strong indicator for business entities and residents to progress in Cebu City due to the low rates of criminalities and illegal drug trade.

The Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Program is headed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) - 7.

Jonah John Rodriguez, head of the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP), said that the declaration was a result of a lengthy process and various considerations.

He said among the factors the committee considered is the reassessment of the presence of individuals on the drug watchlist in a barangay, who will be placed under COSAP’s Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program (CBDRP), which is then followed by an aftercare program.

"So unsaon man pag-retain? Monthly, naay reporting kung unsa nay nahitabo sa ilahang katong mga naa sa watchlist, nag-relapse ba sila, i-report gihapon nila kung naay additional or bag-o nga mga drug personality,” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, however, said that such status of being drug-cleared could be revoked if PDEA and the police would find out of the presence of new drug personality and the barangay failed to include this in its monthly report.

“Wala nag nagpasabot nga diha ra kutob. Once ma-declared, naa gihapo'y buhaton ang mga drug-cleared barangays they have to make monthly reporting gihapon sa COSAP," Rodriguez said.  JG (CEBU NEWS)